Registration of articles for multicolor printing



F. SHURLEY ET AL March 14, 1939.

REGISTRATION OF ARTICLES FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING Filed March 25, 1937 5Sheets-Sheet l March 14, 1939. F. SHURLEY ET AL 2,150,522

REGISTRATION OF ARTICLES FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING Filed March 25, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 2 March l4 1939. 4 F SHURLEY ET AL 2,150,522

REGISTRATION OF ARTICLES FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING Filed March 23, 192 5'Sheets-Sheet 5 T'rec/eric/r J'Z urle Queenie H Jiwrz j March 14, 1939. FSHURLEY U AL 2,150,522 I REGISTRATION OF ARTICLES FOR MULTIGOLORPRINTING Filed March 23, 135? 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 14, 1939.

F. SH'URLEY' ET AL REGISTRATION ARTICLES FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING FiledMarch 25,

1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES VPATENT'OFFICE REGISTRATION OF ARTICLES FOB MULTI- COLOR- PRINTING ApplicationMarch 23, 1937, Serial No. 132,604 In Canada February 8, 1937 18 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical device for the registration ofarticles for multi-color printing, or the consecutive printing" of oneor more colors, and is particularly adaptable for use with 5 themulti-color printing machines fully described inv our prior U. S.Patents Nos. 2,060,385 and 2,085,126, respectively. This device may beattached to, or form part of, any other type of printing machine, pressor screen machine, or

in equipment for printing on cylindrical articles, such as bottles,cans, bulbs, tumblers and the like.

The principal object of our invention is to automatically rotate acylindrical article and to 15 hold said article in a pre-selcctedregistration position, said position being obtained by use of aphoto-electric relay or similar unit actuated by means oflight beams andby registering from an opaque design first printed on the article.

20 A further object of the invention is to provide means in associationwith the foregoing whereby said cylindrical article may be heldnon-rotatable while being moved from the so-called registration positionto the printing position.

25 With these and other objects in view that may appear while thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth,claimed and shown in the ac- 30 companying drawings forming part of thisapplication in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in cross section of ourinvention showing the rotatable holding means for the cylindricalarticles to 35 beprinted.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the rotatable carriage showing the brakemechanism for the chucks.

Fig. 3 is a further fragmentary sectionalele- 4o vation of the machineshowing the photo-electric unit attached thereto.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine showing the photo-electricrelay unit.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the machine show- 45 ing a modification ofthe. rotating device.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the mercury switch operating device, and theGeneva gear wheel.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the co-operating spring actuated clutch.means for holding the article 50 while being printed.

Referring more in' detail to the drawingswherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,it will be seen that the invention comprises 65 a printing machine asfully detailed in our United States patents, as previously stated, andcomprising in part a frame structure I having a printing frame llmounted thereon. A transverse shaft i2 is rotated by 9. Geneva gear I3,actuated by chain drive means l4 and arranged to intermittently rotatesaid shaft l2 through an angle of 90 or the fourth part of a circle. Apawl I5 is provided to prevent inadvertent movement of the said gear andengages one of four equi-distantly spaced notches '6 in the gear. 10 Thepawl is lifted by lugs l'i positioned in predetermined positions on thechain and arranged; to lift the said pawl when the actuating means onsaid chain engage the gear to partially rotate the same.

A pair of discs or wheels l8 and I9 are mounted on the shaft i 2 andconstitute a rotatable carriage having a plurality of rotatable chucksand 2| respectively, carried thereby. The former are rotatable only withspindles 22 while the lat- 20 ter are rotatable with the spindles 23 andslidably mounted thereon. Said chucks 2| are normally urged toward thecenter of the machine by spiral coil springs 24, in amanner toyieldablygrip the article to be printed between a 5 corresponding pair. A lightsource 25 is provided adjacent to the revolving transverse shaft l2 andis supported in a fixed stationary bracket 26. The photoelectric tubeholder 2! is mounted on the machine in such a position that the lightbeam from the light source to the said photo-electric tube 21' will beintercepted by an object on the article 28 at the precise moment ofregistration to actuate the photo-electric tube 21 which in turn willactuate the relay mechanism associated therewith. The object on thearticle being printed as mentioned, may be the first color printing on abottle or other article which will'be previously printed thereon withoutthe aid of the register- 40 ing mechanism. When the article 28 arrivesat this registering position, a revolving friction wheel 29 engages afriction collar 30 on the chuck 20 or the chuck may be engaged directly.Said friction wheel is driven by a motor 3| po-. sitioned adjacentthereto. This motor is adapted to be connected in an electric circuit insuch manner that the current shall be cut off when the photo-electrictube 21 actuates the mechanism through the medium of the photo-electric5 relay unit 32 whereupon the motor is stopped.

-At the same time a brake mechanism is actuated by the photo-electrictube through the medium of the relay, so that when the light beam isintercepted the brake will be applied in co-ordidrives friction wheel29. This brake is a solenoidoperated brake which, when the solenoid isdeenerg'lzedrgrips the shaft on which the friction wheel 29 is mounted,thus overcoming the momentum of the motor and causing a quicker or moreaccurate stopping of the friction wheel.

The brake means comprise brake arms 33 pivoted on pins 34 in the discsl8 and I9 and extend therefrom to engage brake drums 35 on the chucks 20and 2|. The arms 33 are connected together by a circular band 36. Oneend of the band is connected to an electric solenoid 31 operating in acontainer 38 fixed stationary on the discs l8 and I9. When .the currentis applied to the solenoid the band actuates the brake arms to engagethe brake drums and thereby hold the chucks temporarily non-rotatable.

In Fig. 6 is shown means of applying the foregoing brake mechanism. Anarm 40 is constructed on the pawl l5 and is connected to an arm ll ofthe mercury switch 42 which is positioned so that the raising of thepawl will tilt the mercury container causing the switch to be actuatedto apply the current of the solenoid circuit in which it is connectedand thereby apply the brakes. the mercury switch is actuated to cut offthe cur-.-

rent to the solenoid and thereby release the brakes.

In Fig. 5 is shown an alternative frictifonal drive mechanism operatedby a solenoid 45 which comprises two solenoid coils 45a. and 45b andhavlng electric connections with the photoelectric 1 turn moves thefriction wheel 29 away from chuck relay unit. The solenoid plunger 450is connected to a rocker arm 46, which is in turn connected with theshaft 48 of the friction wheel 29-by the links 49 and 50. The wheel ismounted on a pivoted support 5|, and arranged to move forwardandbackward from the collar 30 which forms part of the chuck 2|, by theaction of the solenoid.

Mounted on shaft 48 alongside the friction wheel 29 is a sprocket wheel29a which is driven by a chain drive 48a connected to the reduction gearunit 28a Fig. 4 of the machine. Thus, thefriction wheel 29 is incontinual rotation and when in a forward position it rotates the chuckit and brings the article into registering position as previouslyexplained.

when the opaque spot comes opposite the phototube the front coil 45a ofsolenoid 45 is de-energized and the rear coil 45b becomes energized thuspulling the solenoid plunger So back which in 2| and holds it away untilthe article registered in its proper position leaves for the printingposition.

The operation of our improved registering mechanism may be stated asfollows. The .bottle, having received the first color or background ofthe label is delivered by means of the conveyor shown and described inour prior Patents Nos. 2,060,385 and 2,085,126 to the spaced discsconstituting the rotatable carriage, where it is picked up and heldbetween the coacting chucks. The carriage brings the bottle held betweenthe chucks into a position before the photo-electric tube.

When the beam of light from the light source,

which'is focused on the photo-electric tube is; interrupted by thepredetermined opaque spot or design initially printed on the bottleand'forming the background of the label, the friction wheel which hasbeen rotating the chucks and revolving the bottle brought into positionadjacent to the photo-electric tube will be drawn away from enk9,150,099 nation with the stopping of the motor 3| which When the pawldrops into the notch l6,

gagement with the chuck. Thereupon the bottle or article beingregistered will not rotate and the friction wheel will not comeforward'again to engage the next advanced chuck until the next bottle tobe registered has been brought into position adjacent the photo-electrictube. The chucks carrying the properly positioned bottle will-be heldagainst rotation by the brake mechanism to insure the delivery of thebottle to the printing means in its proper registered position.

When the bottle has been properly registered it is carried upwardly bythe rotating carriage to such position where the second color or designis printed in proper relation onto the opaque background by the printingmechanism disclosed in our aforementioned prior patents.

Attention is directed to the fact that in some cases, the action may bereversed and a transparent spot in a design used to operate thephotodevice are rotatable and it is understood that such details ascircular contact rings and brushes co-acting' therewith which are commonto all such mechanism have been omitted for the sake of clarity. Topermit the more lucid explanation or description of the more salientfeatures of the device which are detailed herein in a more or less broadand general way it is quite apparent certain mechanical details willlend themselves to various methods of construction and it is understoodthat minor changes in the details of construction, combination andarrangement of cooperating elements may be resorted to within the scopeof what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination, means for printing on an article having an imprintpreviously arranged thereon, a carriage for delivering the article in apredetermined position to the printing means, article receiving andsupporting means rotatably mounted on the carriage, and'automatic meanscontrolled by the initial imprint for rotating the article in thecarriage to a predetermined positionwhereby the article will receive afurther imprint from the printing means in correct relation to theinitial imprint.

2. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, a carriage for delivering thearticle in a predetermined position to the printing means, aphoto-electric unit, va source of light focused on the photo-electricunit, the article in the carriage being movable between thephotoelectric unit and the light source and adapted to intercept thebeam of light, and mechanism controlled by the photo-electric unit formaintaining whereby the printing means will make a subsequent imprint incorrect relation to the initial imprint when the article isdeliveredthereto.

3. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, a carriage for delivering thearticle to the printing means, article receiving and supporting means onthe carriage and capable of rotation, a photo-electric unit, a lightsource focused on the photo-electric unit, the article in I the carriagebeing movable through the beam of light between the light source andsaid photoelectric unit, and mechanism automatically controlled by thephoto-electric unit for rotating the article in the carriage to aposition whereby the initial imprint will intercept the light beam, andadditional means for rendering the last mentioned mechanism operativewhen the article has been rotated to such light intercepting position,whereby the article will be delivered by the carriage to the printingmeans in such position, so that the printing means will make a furtherimprint on-the article in correct relation to the initial imprint. v

4. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, a carriage for delivering thearticle to the printing means, article receiving and supporting means onthe carriage and capable of rotation, a photo-electric unit, a lightsource focused on the photo-electric unit, the article in the carriagebeing movable through the beam of light between the light source andsaid photoelectric unit, mechanism automatically controlled by thephoto-electric unit for rotating the article in the carriage to aposition whereby the initial imprint will intercept the light beam,additional means for rendering the last mentionedmechanism operativewhen the article has been rotated to such light intercepting position,whereby the article will be delivered by the carriage to the printingmeans in such position, so that the printing means will make a furtherimprint on the article in proper relation to ,the initial imprint,

and brake means associated with the article receiving' and supportingmeans for holding the article in said predetermined position.

5. In combination, means for printing on.- an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, an intermittently rotatablecarriage for delivering the article in a predetermined position to theprinting means, pairs of chucks for receiving and holding articles'inthe carriage,

automatic means for rotating the chucks to move the articles supportedthereby to a predetermined registering position,-when the articles havebeen placed in the chucks in an improper position, the carriagedelivering the articles successively to the printing means in theirpredetermined registering position so that the printing means will makea further imprint on each article in corranged thereon, anintermittently rotatable carriage for delivering the article in apredetermined position to the'printing means, pairs of chucks forreceiving and holding articles in the carriage, automatic means forrotating the chucks to move the articles supported thereby to apredetermined registering position, when the articles have been placedin the chucks in an improper position, the carriage delivering thearticles successively to the printing means in their predeterminedregistering position so that the printing means will make a furtherimprint on each article in correct relation to the initial imprint, andbrake means for cooperation with the chucks to retain the articles intheir predetermined registering position as they are delivered to saidprinting means.

7. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, an intermittently rotatablecarriage for delivering the article in a predetermined position to theprinting means, pairs of chucksranged thereon, an intermittentlyrotatable carriage for delivering the article in a predeterminedposition to the printing means, pairs of chucks for receiving andholding articles in the carriage, automatic means for rotating thechucks to move the articles supported thereby to a predeterminedregistering position, when the articles have been placed in the' chucksin an improper position, the carriage delivering-the articlessuccessively to the printing means initheirpredeterminedregisteringpositionso that the printing-means will make a furtherimprint oneach article in correct relation to the initial imprint, aphoto-electric unit for controlling the chuck rotating means, and alight source for cooperation with the photo-electric unit, the lightbeam from the light source being intercepted by the initial imprint onthe article passing therethrough.

9. In combination, means for printing on an that have been improperlypositioned in the chucks in a predetermined position so that theprinting means will make a further imprint in correct relation to theinitial imprint on each article delivered thereto by the rotatablecarriage.

10. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously ar-' ranged thereon, an intermittently rotatablecarriage including a pair of spaced discs, pairs of chucks carried bythe discs for receiving and supporting the articles, and capable ofindependent rotation, and registration mechanism controlled by theinitial iniprint on the articles for moving the chucks and arranging thearticles that have been improperly positioned in the chucks in apredetermined position so that the printing means will make a furtherimprint in correct relation to the initial imprint on each articledelivered thereto by the rotatable carriage, and brake means for thechucks to return the articles in their properly predetermined positionsafter being acted upon by said registration mechanism.

11. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint previously arranged thereon, an intermittently rotatablecarriageincluding a pair of spaced discs, pairs of chucks carried by the discsfor receiving and supporting the articles, and capable of independentrotation, registration mechanism controlled by the initial imprint onthe articles for moving the chucks and arranging the articles that havebeen improperly positioned in the chucks in a-predetermined position sothat the printing means will make a further imprint in correct relationto the initial imprint on each article delivered thereto by therotatable carriage, said registration mechanism including a clutchengaging rotating wheel, a photo-electric unit cooperating therewith,and a light source having its light beam directed onto saidphoto-electric unit, the articles adapted to pass through the lightbeam.

12. In combination, means for printing on an article having a backgroundpreviously formed thereon, an intermittently rotatable carriageincluding a pair of spaceddiscs, pairs of chucks carried by the discsfor receiving and supporting the articles, and capable of independentrotation, registration mechanism controlled by the background on thearticles for moving the chucks and arranging the articles that have beenimproperly positioned in the chucks in a predetermined position so thatthe printing means will print directly upon the background of eacharticle delivered thereto by the rotatable carriage, said registrationmechanism including a clutch engaging rotating wheel, a photo-electricunit cooperating therewith, and alight source having its light beamdirected onto said photo-electric unit, the articles adapted to passthrough the light beam.

13. In combination, means for printing on an article having an imprintpreviously arranged thereon, a carriage for delivering the article in apredetermined position to the printing means, means controlled by theinitial imprint for rotating an improperly placed article in thecarriage to position the article so that it will receive a furtherimprint in correct relation to the initial imprint, and additional meansfor holdingthe article in its properly placed position during themovement of the carriage to a printing position.

14. In combination, means for printing on an article having an initialimprint of one color previously arranged thereon, a carriage fordelivering the articlein a predetermined position to the printing means,means controlled by the initial imprint for automatically positioning anarticle that has been improperly placed in the carriage in the aforesaidpredetermined position so that it will receive an imprint of anothercolor in correct relation to the initial difierent colored imprint bysaid printing means, and additional means for holding the article in itsproper place in the carriage during the movement of the latter to aprinting position. "a

15. In a printing machine a plurality of sup porting means forsupporting and conveying articles irom a-receiving zone to a printingzone, means operable while said articles are held by supporting meansfor rotating each article in turn about its axis, and electricallycontrolled means including a photo-electric cell for arresting each oithe articles in a predetermined rotary posieach unit being mounted forrotation, means operable during the travel of said articles and theirunits between the receiving and printing zones for rotating saidarticlesand their units successively about their axis, and electricallycontrolled means including a photo-electric cellior arresting therotation of each article and unit as each article reaches apredetermined rotary position.

18. In a printing machine, a plurality of supporting units mountedradially about a common axis, means supporting said units for rotationabout said axis, said units supporting and conveying articles from areceiving to a printing zone during their travel, means operable duringthe travel of said articles for rotating each article in turn about itsown axis, and electrically controlled means including a photo-electriccell for arresting the rotation of each article at a predeterminedrotary position.

FREDERICK SHURLEY.

QUEENIE HALFORD SHURLEY.

